Congratulations Steve & Rick!!!!

Unless you were vacationing in Antarctica this evening, or whiling away the time in a Sensory Deprivation Chamber, you have heard that Steve Mason was named the winner of the Calder Trophy tonight, signifying his status as Rookie of the Year in the NHL. He also was named to the All-Rookie Team, and to the Second Team All-NHL squad.

Captain Rick Nash was also honored as the winner of the NHL Foundation Award, in recognition of the significant amount of charitable and community initiatives with which he is involved.

These two awards now join the Rocket Richard Trophy shared by Nash, Iginla and Kovalchuk on the CBJ mantle. Tonight provided some great recognition for Mason, Nash and the CBJ as a whole.

Just a week until the draft, then another week until free agency. How quickly can you spell Bouwmeister?

About Jeff Little

A native of the SF Bay Area, my first exposure to hockey was the SF/Oakland/California Golden Seals, including Charlie Finley and the white skates. Fast forward to the late 1980's when Gretzky and the Kings came up to the Bay Area for an exhibition game at the Oakland Coliseum Arena, for which we had glass seats. I was at the first San Jose Sharks game in the Cow Palace, and followed them for their first few pathetic years, before moving to Columbus in 1994. I attended the first pro-NHL rally downtown, and have been a season ticket holder since Day 1, wife & I are active in the Jacket Backers, and son is an avid fan as well. I cover the Jackets for Inside Hockey, and contribute regularly to a variety of hockey sites. I maintain contact with the Jackets organization, and like to dig into stories, bringing a fresh, and sometimes irreverent perspective to hockey.